Improvement in locks for cigar-boxes



L. F. MERG-OTT. Lock fQI' Cigar Boxes.

'No. 221,177. Patented Nov. 4,1879.

Wines 5&5: I I [mi- 22207:

N.PETERS, PHOTO LITHOGRAPHER WASHlNGT ON D Cv UNITED IMPROVEMENT INLOCKS FOR CIGAR-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,177, dated November4, 1879; application filed.

February 21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUDW'IG F. MERGOTT, of Newark, county of Essex, andState of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Looks for Cigar-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofa cigar-box with my improved catch Fig. 2, a vertical transverse sectionof the same,shown in closed position; and Fig. 3, a detail view of thecatch or anchor of the lid.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

This invention has reference to an improved lock for cigar and otherboxes; and it con: sists of a cigar-box having a notched or recessedfront wall, and a retaining-plate that extends over the recess, and isattached at the ends and front to the front wall. The retain- 4ing-plate has a slot that is wider at the front and contracted at therear, into which a catch or anchor of the lid is forced and engaged bythe shoulders formed by the contracted portion of the slot. The lowerwider end of the anchor is inclined forentering the slot, contractedabove the lower end, and enlarged again above the contractions, andthengftapered off, being driven through the lid and secured rigidly inposition thereon.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a cigaror other box, whose frontwall is arranged with a central recess or notch, a, at the upper edge. Aplate,B, that is cut or stamped up of sheet'brass or other metal, issecured to the front wall, and bent down at right angles, so as to coverthe notch, both on the top and at the front, and be able to resist in areliable manner the pressure of the cigars packed in the box. The frontextension of the plate B is made of any suitable ornamental shape. Theplate B is arranged with a slot, 1), above the recess a, the slot beingof greater width at the front and contracted at the rear, so as to formshoulders, which serve to engage the catch or anchor O of the lid. Theanchor O is cut or stamped out of sheet metal of the shape shown in Fig.3, being contracted at d d, so as to form an enlarged catch at the lowerend. The upper part of the anchor is driven through the lid, turned backat the top, and

fastened by a rivet or tack, c, which is clinched at the under side.

The anchor O is enlarged above the .contracted part, and then graduallytapered off toward the upper end, so as to afford the anchor a firmposition laterally as well as in upward direction. low the lid, and isslightly bent forward, so as to enter into the wider front part of theslot when pressing down the lid.

The pressure on the lid draws the front wall inwardly, and allows it tospring back into its natural position again when the anchor has enteredinto the narrower portion of the slot. The anchor is then engaged by theshoulders of the contracted part, which look the lid re liablyto thebox.

For opening the box, the thumb is pressed on the front wall on or nearthe catch, so that the receiving-plate is forced back until theshoulders formed by the contracted portion of the slot clear the anchorand admit the rais= ing of the lid.

The inclined position of the anchor secures its reliable interlockingwith the plate until released therefrom by the pressure on the frontwall. The intimate interlocking of the plate and anchor, together withthe reliable fasten ing of the plate to the box and of the anchor to thelid, enables the lock to resist the pressure exerted by the cigars onthe lid, and to overcome thereby a main disadvantage of the looks atpresent in general use.

. Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secureby Letters Pat- 1. A cigar-box having a recessed front wall and aslotted retaining-plate secured over the recess to the top and face ofthe front wall, the slot of the retainin g-platebein g contracted towardthe rear, in combination with a lid having a catch or anchor that isprovided with a lower enlarged part, contract-ions above the same, andwith an enlarged and tapering shank, embedded in and secured to the lid,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The eon1bination of the lid of a cigarbox with a catch or anchor thatis set by an enlarged portion of its shank into a slit of the lid andsecured to the lid at its upper turneddown end, substantially as setforth.

Grate] The lower end projects he 3. In cigar-box looks, a catch oranchor, C,

ence of two witnesses, this 7th day of Feb LUDWIG F. MERGOTT.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, CARL KARP.

